“I feel she would have trusted you to do right by her sisters. And if you feel this is right in this time, yes. Definitely. She would have been supportive of it.” He glanced at the rift and back to me, and when he spoke on, his voice had lowered. “And it is right in this time, Ellie. Trust your instincts. Your mother did.”

I drew in a deep breath, released it and settled in the relief his words brought before I looked over his shoulder to see Cassius approaching.

True caught the direction of my gaze and twisted that way.

When Cass arrived at us, he muttered, “True,” True muttered, “Cassius,” and then my intended not only claimed me in a hold about my neck which was strong and fitted my front to his side, he kissed the top of my head.

Once he was finished laying this claim on me, I tipped that head back.

“All right?” he asked me.

“Yes,” I answered, my eyes narrowing on him.

His lips twitched but he said no more and looked at True.

“Any news?” he asked.

“Of what?” True asked in return.

“Of anything,” Cassius replied.

“Naught. You?” True said.

“Naught,” Cassius murmured.

Cassius then sighed.

I tried to pull a hint away, and Cass allowed it.

A hint.

Thus, it was then I who sighed and wrapped my arms around his middle.

“What are you expecting?” I queried.

“Two days, two campaigns,” Cass responded. “For the most part, they are not trained. They are not skilled. They have limited intelligence of our allegiances and our force, and that does not deter them. But they are organized, and they clearly have a plan.”

“Calm before another storm?” True suggested.

“My guess, yes. Thus, we also must plan,” Cass declared, his arm around my neck tightening for a moment before it relaxed again and he went on quietly, “Today is Jazz’s. It is Rose’s. Tomorrow, we will sit down and make decisions.”

True nodded before he said, “Then now, I will leave you. Cass. Ellie.”

“True, thank you,” I replied.

“Any time, my friend,” he murmured, warmth in his gaze on me.

He then jerked up his chin to Cassius, turned and strolled away.

I watched but stopped doing this when Cass asked, “Why did you express gratitude?”

I had my own question thus, I did not answer his and asked mine instead, “Was it necessary you lay claim to me in front of True? I mean, really, Cassius. I am yours, he is Farah’s. This possession you feel it necessary to relay—”

“Cease speaking,” he ordered.

I stood still in his hold, mostly so I wouldn’t do something stupid, like break free and punch him in his arm (or elsewhere), and instead I shared my ire at his command by glaring up at him.

“Accept this, woman, it is the way it will be,” he declared.

“Every time we’re around True?” I demanded.